PDAC 2015 - High Purity Graphite-Final - · PDF fileGraphite Market Perspectives Bharat Chahar...

High Purity GRAPHITETechnology and Market Perspectives

Bharat ChaharPDAC 2015

Outline

1. Introduction – Suppliers and Users Perspectives1. Introduction – Suppliers and Users Perspectives

2. Major Applications – Critical Performance Parameters2. Major Applications – Critical Performance Parameters

3. Synthetic Graphite vs. Natural Graphite3. Synthetic Graphite vs. Natural Graphite

4. Market Factors4. Market Factors

5. Closing Thoughts5. Closing Thoughts

2

INTRODUCTION:SUPPL IERS AND USERS

VIEWS

3

Graphite Market Perspectives

Bharat Chahar - PDAC 2015

Nat

ural

Gra

phite

Nat

ural

Gra

phite

AmorphousAmorphous

Flake large and small

Flake large and small

VeinVein

HydrothermalHydrothermal

Synt

hetic

Gra

phite

Synt

hetic

Gra

phite

PowderPowder

BlocksBlocks

AnisotropicAnisotropic

IsotropicIsotropic

4

MAJOR APPL ICAT IONS&

CRIT ICAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS

5

Major Graphite Applications


EAF Electrodes

EAF Electrodes

Fuel CellsFuel Cells

Graphite Applications

6

EAF ElectrodesCRITICAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS:• Resistance to Thermal Shock –

Low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)

• High Electrical Conductivity

• High Structural Integrity

• Low Reactivity

CRITICAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS:• Resistance to Thermal Shock –

Low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)

• High Electrical Conductivity

• High Structural Integrity

• Low Reactivity

MATERIAL/PROCESSING IMPLICATIONS:• Final electrode must be 100%

graphite• All raw materials must be

graphite or graphitizable• Heat treatment must be the last

step• Raw materials should be highly

pure or have volatile impurities• Electrodes must have high density

to maintain structural integrity –zero or low porosity powder

• Easy to process• Optimize costs by appropriate

material selection

MATERIAL/PROCESSING IMPLICATIONS:• Final electrode must be 100%

graphite• All raw materials must be

graphite or graphitizable• Heat treatment must be the last

step• Raw materials should be highly

pure or have volatile impurities• Electrodes must have high density

to maintain structural integrity –zero or low porosity powder

• Easy to process• Optimize costs by appropriate

material selection


EAF ELECTRODES – MFG PROCESS

Mix coke powder with binder pitch

Mix coke powder with binder pitch

Extrude electrodes

Extrude electrodes BakeBake

Impregnate pitch to

increase density

Impregnate pitch to

increase densityRe-BakeRe-Bake GraphitizeGraphitize

NG can be used but it is not practical unless needle coke prices are significantly higher than high purity NG

Bharat Chahar - PDAC 2015 8

Batteries• Three major

applications:• Alkaline • Li-ion• Vanadium Redox Flow

(developing)• Functionality

requirements significantly different

• Alkaline Batteries:• Electrical conductivity• Reactivity• Ease of

processing/handling

• Li-ion Batteries:• Intercalation Capacity• First cycle efficiency –

Reactivity• Ease of intercalation –

Power• Packed Density• Ease of Processing• Impurities

• Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries:

• Final artifact properties• Conductivity, structural

integrity, reactivity etc.

While each battery form has different functionality requirements, any graphite powder with the right properties can be used


Li- ion Anode – Key MFG. Steps

Significant variations in properties due to different performance requirements and manufacturing needs

SYNTHETIC GRAPHITE:Low impurity coke with ordered structure• Graphitization

• Turn into graphite• Remove impurities

• Particle Size reduction and classification• Improve processing ability• Improve rate properties• Increase density

• Surface Treatment• Improve first cycle efficiency

and stability

SYNTHETIC GRAPHITE:Low impurity coke with ordered structure• Graphitization

• Turn into graphite• Remove impurities

• Particle Size reduction and classification• Improve processing ability• Improve rate properties• Increase density

• Surface Treatment• Improve first cycle efficiency

and stability

NATURAL GRAPHITE:• Raw Material

• Crystalline graphite• Particle size reduction

• Improve processing ability• Spheridization

• Improve density• Purification

• Either Thermal or Acid Treatment• Improve stability

• Surface Treatment• Improve First Cycle Efficiency

and stability

NATURAL GRAPHITE:• Raw Material

• Crystalline graphite• Particle size reduction

• Improve processing ability• Spheridization

• Improve density• Purification

• Either Thermal or Acid Treatment• Improve stability

• Surface Treatment• Improve First Cycle Efficiency

and stability

10

Powder Metallurgy

Any graphite powders with right properties can be used


FUNCTIONALITY:

• Lubricity• Hardness• Processability• Reactivity

• Lubricity• Hardness• Processability• Reactivity

PROPERTIES:

• PSD Control• Purity• Surface Properties• Particle Shape

• PSD Control• Purity• Surface Properties• Particle Shape

11

Fuel CellsUSAGE:

• Bi-Polar Plates in PEM Cells• Majority of the

Cell Weight• Up-to 80%

Graphite• Small quantities

in other components

BI-POLAR PLATES:

• X-Y direction Thermal Conductivity

• Z direction Electrical Conductivity

• High Density• Low reactivity

PROPERTIES:

• High Crystallinity• Appropriate

grain size• Purity – minimal

metallic impurities

• Particle Shape• Surface

properties• Particle size

distribution

Any graphite powders with right properties can be used


NuclearUS

AG

E US

AG

E ModeratorReflectorShieldingFuel Coating for Pebble Bed Reactors

ModeratorReflectorShieldingFuel Coating for Pebble Bed Reactors

FUN

CTIO

NA

LITY

:FU

NC

TION

ALI

TY:Radiation

ModerationThermal ConductivityThermal ShockStructural IntegrityStability

Radiation ModerationThermal ConductivityThermal ShockStructural IntegrityStability

PRO

PERT

IES

PRO

PERT

IES Isotropic properties

• Small crystalline sizeExtremely low impurities• Neutron absorbing,

oxidation promoting, activation relevant isotopes, metallic corrosion relevant, and fissionable elements

Appropriate Particle ShapeAppropriate PSDStable Crystal Structure

Isotropic properties• Small crystalline sizeExtremely low impurities• Neutron absorbing,

oxidation promoting, activation relevant isotopes, metallic corrosion relevant, and fissionable elements

Appropriate Particle ShapeAppropriate PSDStable Crystal Structure

Difficult to achieve isotropic properties with most NG materials. Nuclear grade synthetic graphite made from specially produced coke


Isotropic Graphite

Opportunity exists for a pure NG source with the right structure and price to participate in the nuclear graphite market


• Normal Graphite - highly anisotropic• Property ratio in different dimensions can be >>1• Example ratios:

Thermal Conductivity ~200 Tensile Strength ~3 Elastic Modulus ~25 Resistivity ~125

• Nuclear Applications require anisotropic ratios <1.1 as well as higher density and strength

• Current source of Isotropic Graphite is Isotropic Coke• Although refinery based processes exist to produce isotropic

coke suitable for nuclear graphite, most of isotropic coke is manufactured by a lengthy process from needle coke or from Gilsonite

14

Lubricants

High purity and crystallinity powder at a competitive price is the key.Bharat Chahar - PDAC 2015

USAGE:‐ Industrial‐ Automotive and Heavy

Duty Vehicles‐ Specialty Greases‐ Forging

FUNCTIONALITY:‐ High lubricity‐ Appropriate PSD‐ Absence of abrasives‐ Low moisture content‐ Stability

PROPERTIES:‐ High crystallinity‐ High purity‐ Powder with PSD in

the desired range‐ Low Moisture

MARKET DYNAMICS:Major synthetic graphiteproducers are the biggestsuppliers due to availability of secondarypowder

15

Synthetic vs. Natural Graphite

SYNTHETIC: • Produced mostly from high grade

petroleum coke• Expensive to produce, but• Tremendous flexibility in:

• Processing• Particle size• Surface chemistry

NATURAL:• Abundant graphite deposits widely scattered

across the globe• Relatively inexpensive to produce, but• Quality can vary • Impurities can be a major issue• Crystallinity may depend on the resource• Difficult to incorporate in processes• Cost advantage may be low for artifacts

production

Applications where high degree of

processing required tend to prefer SG, but NG used widely due to cost advantage

• Impurities control• Artifacts production• Quality • Consistency

16

Market Factors


Volume

Pricing

Geography and Logistics

Quality, Consistency

and Reliability

Cost of Qualification

Existing Supply

Relationships

17

ZENYATTA GRAPHITE SUMMARY

&ADVANTAGES

18

Zenyatta Graphite


Graphite Supply Chain

MiningGraphite ore is mined from the deposit

Crushing & GrindingSimple & low-cost initial process

ProductsIndustrial processes, consumer electronics, electric vehicles, fuel cells, power generation, etc.

FlotationSeparate graphite to create a concentrate

PurificationUpgrade concentrate to >99.9% Cg using a simple process

High PurityGraphite is a key component in many applications.


Zenyatta Graphite- Advantages


Closing Thoughts


THANK YOU!

Zenyatta Ventures Ltd. │ 1224 Amber Drive │ Thunder Bay │ Ontario │ Canada │ Tel: 807-346-1660 │ Website: www.zenyatta.ca

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PDAC 2015 - High Purity Graphite-Final - · PDF fileGraphite Market Perspectives Bharat Chahar...

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